Simplicity
by LadyBuhg
Summary: Before there was Korra, there was her parents, Tonraq and Senna. This is a simple, short story on how they met and how they ended up together.
1. Chapter 1

Senna has only just begun to push her thick, fur covers off of her legs when she hears her mother's voice calling out her name. It is very early in the morning, and though she is still slow and groggy, she quickly gets up out of the bed and makes her way down to the front room of the house, which is a small store housed with medical herbs and remedies. The tone in her mother's voice was one of urgency, giving Senna good reason to believe that there will be a chronically ill woman or a severely injured man stumbling into their doorway at this odd hour. To her surprise, the front room is empty of people aside from her mother, who is standing in front of the shelves checking inventory.

"Senna," Her mother repeats one more time as she turns to face her. "I need you go to the city's market. Arrluk won't here today. Here's the supply list." It seems as though her mother had not even seen the look of confusion on her face, because before she knows it, she is pushed out of the front door with nothing but the clothes on her back and the list of things they need to restock.

The young woman looks down at the list and then up and around at her surroundings. Her village is small and there are very few people outside this early in the morning. She can only spot one man who is out of his home. He is busy waterbending snow away from his front door to the main road in order to make a path. She wanted to ask him if knew where the city market was, but she wasn't sure if he could actually speak. The only communication she had ever seen him engage in was either a shake or nod of the head. He would be of no help to her.

Just before she begins to head towards the city, she hears the door open behind her. "Would you hurry up and go already? You need to get there before the city boy does, or there will be no good supplies left for us!" Her mother shoo's her off of their front lawn and waves for her to get a move on.

Senna takes off in a light jog until the cold air begins to sting her lungs with every inhale. Her village isn't too far from the city; she can already see some of the taller buildings peeking over the last hill she will have to grudgingly trek over. She doesn't know the city at all. She had been there a few times when she was just a child and due to the burst of activity and growth, the city is now ever-changing: An old igloo being taken down and built up into a new business' headquarters, a new restaurant, hotel, theater, ice rink, or something else she has never even heard of. What is stick-puck anyways, and why on earth does it need such a huge arena? She wonders this as she passes a billboard that showcases different team names, dates, and times that a game will be held there.

She has only recently been taken out of her daze by a jingle of a door being open when she crashes into something. She faces forward to see a tall man standing before her, rubbing his upper arm.

"Oh!" A hand flies up to her forehead in embarrassment as she realizes that she has just crashed into this stranger due to her absent-mindedness. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention. Are you alright?"

"Oh, no, that's fine. I hadn't been looking ahead either." He holds up a hand to let her know that everything is alright. "Um, actually," He looks around as if he's making sure no one is listening before he continues. "I'm lost." He admits this with a shy smile on his face.

Senna blinks and then laughs. "Me too! I can't remember the last time I was in the city!"

"I've never been here at all. I just came in." The young man motions towards the docks. Senna quickly looks him up and down and notices that he is covered in Water Tribe clothes, but she knows they are not Southern. The man is tall and stocky with dark hair and skin, and blue eyes. He must be from the North.

"You're from the Northern Water Tribe?" She asks, tilting her head to the side a bit. "Are you visiting family?" This is the only reason she can think of that would cause someone from the North to travel all the way down to the South. Since the Hundred Year War ended, plenty of people from the North had made their way down to aid in the South's rebuilding, but the bond between the two began to fade as quickly as it started.

The people of the South wanted to grow and expand, at the same time while keeping to their roots and beliefs, but people of the North thought because they were helping so much with the rebuilding, the Southerners were to take their culture, ways of life, and laws with open arms. Southerners had their own ideas for their own land and this put a wedge between the two Tribes.

"No." He answers this simply. Senna doesn't press on the question anymore. If he had wanted to elaborate, he would have. "What are you looking for?"

Senna looks down at her list and then back up to him. "The medical supply house. My mother and I run a healing hut in our village."

"I think I may have wandered past that." The man turns and begins to walk in the direction he believes the store is in and Senna follows closely behind.

She can't believe just how busy the city is already. Stores have already opened their doors and have people coming in and out of them constantly. Most of the people are Southerners, but she spots some diversity here and there; Earth benders handing in applications to contractors, fire benders looking for work in restaurants or power plants. This place is interesting and lively. Her village is dull and slow.

Senna begins to think that she would like to move to the city one day, until she accidentally runs into someone else, again, because she was too busy watching a street performer and the man drops the box he was carrying. He immediately loses his temper and shouts things at her that she knows aren't good, even though she has never heard some of the words before. If that were to happen in her village, she knows whoever she had run into would laugh it off and excuse themselves before they wished her a good day.

She's startled when she feels a heavy hand fall onto her shoulder. She looks to see the young man she had been following. He's giving the man she ran into a terribly dirty look as he pulls her close to him and guides her forward.

"Is everyone like that here?" He asks.

"No. People are much kinder in my village." She says this softly. Her heart is pounding in her chest. No one has ever yelled at her like that before.

They walk only a few more blocks before she spots a sign that lists a bunch of herbs and names of remedies that she is familiar with. She knows this building has the medical supplies and she quickens her pace.

Senna is unsure of just how long she has been in the city, but she hopes she is early enough to get everything they need, or at least the majority of it. The annual Hunt is soon and she knows there will be plenty of injuries as an outcome of it. There always is. Young men, some even younger than her come in with cut up hands because they don't know how to properly sharpen their weapons yet, twisted ankles, broken bones. Fevers and illness that come with meat that hand't been cooked properly by inexperienced young wives.

"Ahh, Arrluk, you're late- Oh!? Senna?" The little old man who runs the supply house is thin, with patchy white hair, wrinkles, and eye glasses. "My! You've grown into such a beautiful young woman! It's been so long since I've seen you here!" He obviously notices the look on her face and he lets out a laugh. "You don't remember me at all, do you?" He asks this before he leans down behind his counter and picks up a big box that she knows must be her mothers order. He sets it down onto the counter and rests his elbow up onto it. "I'm Miki, I've been a friend of the family for quite some time."

Senna nods and places the list down onto the counter for him to check. He reads it, nods, and then pats the box he has up on the counter. "Yes ma'am, all of that is in here for you. You carry that for her, boy." Miki pushes the box towards the Northerner, forcing him to catch it so it doesn't crash down onto the floor. "Have a great day!" He smiles and waves.

"Thank you." Senna waves back at him as she turns to leave.

Once the pair are about a block away from Miki's, Senna asks if the man would like her to carry the box, considering the fact that it is hers.

"No, no. I've got it."

"You're going to carry that all the way back to my village?" The man nods and they continue walking together, Senna guiding him all the way back to her home.

Her mother is pleased that she made it back within a decent amount of time. "That was great, Senna. Now, who is this?" She asks, motioning to the stranger standing beside her daughter.

"I'm Tonraq." The young man informs, offering his hand towards Senna's mother. She takes his forearm and they greet each other with a strong shake.

"I'm Sakari, and I'm Senna's mother. I own this place, and it's not often a Northerner makes it this far into the South. What are you doing down here?"

"I want something different that's not too chaotic. I lived in the heart of the City up North, and I'm looking for something small and quaint."

"Well, you've found it!" Sakari laughs and motions for Senna to begin doing the inventory. "Senna has the day off tomorrow. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to help you find work and a place to call your own. I've got open rooms, you can stay in one for the night if you haven't already found a place to stay."

Tonraq smiles and gives thanks before he goes to retrieve his bag from the ship. Once he is out the door, Sakari crosses her arms and turns towards her daughter. "See, Senna. I told you it wasn't that hard to find a good man. Don't ruin this for yourself this time, okay? All of the girls your age in the village already have at least one baby! Stop stalling! I want to be a gran-gran already!"

Senna shoots a dirty look at her mother out the corner of her eye before she returns her attention towards the shelves.


	2. Chapter 2

Only a few sips of tea were taken from Senna's cup when she hears a knock on the front door. She hops down from the counter stool and sluggishly makes her way over, wincing at burst of biting cold air that rushes into the front room as she opens the door. She looks up to see the young man she had met the day before standing in front of her. If she recalls correctly, his name is Tonraq; he is from the Northern Water Tribe, and her mother had informed him that she would be willing to help him find a place to stay and work on her day off.

"Good Morning." He greets her with a smile on his face. Senna has to squint up at him because of how bright it is outside, but she puts a small smile on her face in return.

'It's too early for this.' She thinks to herself, but opens the door wider for him to enter. She makes her way back over to the counter and plucks a cup out of the cupboard above. She doesn't care to ask him if he would like a cup or not, because if he doesn't take it, she will.

"Chai tea in the morning?" Tonraq asks this as he sits on the stool on his side of the counter. Senna nods and slides the cup over to him and watches as he takes a small sip. "Mm, this is good. Did you brew it yourself?" Senna nods again. About a minute of silence happens between them, aside from the occasional sip of their tea, before he speaks again. "I know your mother said you would help me find a place to stay, but are you really okay with that?"

The young woman looks down to the right before she says anything. "My mother talks a lot." She pauses and moves her gaze over towards him. "But of course I'll help you."

Tonraq smiles and finishes the tea. "Thank you."

He waits patiently as she finishes her tea. It's not long before she's pulling on her snow boots and opening the front door with him trailing not far behind. She explains to him that their village is old and small. It has only been recently that people from the city have come through or even staying to get away from all the buzz, so there are small expansions happening at different ends of the village. While there are still a few elders who don't take too kindly to newcomers, the majority of the people in the village are very kind and always dependable in times of need. Most everyone is humble and calm, but during special occasions and celebrations, there isn't a soul that isn't lively.

"Like the Annual Hunt," She says, looking towards him over her shoulder. "It's coming up in about three days. I'm sure someone like you would really enjoy it. Have a home-warming party with the game you hunted yourself. I bet that would be nice."

"We have a hunt up in the North, too. A few throughout the year, actually."

"Same here."

They continue on walking for a bit more before they spot a man shoveling out a corner in the middle of a small group of houses. Senna calls out to the man by his name, Anik, and greets him as she makes her way over to him.

"Ah, Senna! How are you dear? How is the expansion holding up? Still good?" He smiles and wraps an arm around her, giving her a good pat on the back before they separate.

"I'm good, thank you. Yes, the storage room has been such a big help for us. We really appreciate it."

"Oh, no problem. Anything for you and your mother. By the way, how is she?" Anik smiles and leans in closer towards Senna, listening closely for her answer.

Senna smiles and cocks her head to the side. "Well, why don't you go ask her yourself, if you're so interested."

Anik throws his head back and laughs. "You're a little sneak, aren't you, dear? You are your mothers daughter." Senna's mouth drops for a second as she thinks back to the night before, when her mother had suggested that she try and view Tonraq as a potential date. Senna wants to shake her head, it's different between her mother and Anik! They have history together. Her and this stranger, this Tonraq, have only known each other for maybe half a day by now. Senna had only been teasing. Her mother was pushy.

"So, how can I help you two? Is this your lucky man, Senna?" Anik asks as he motions the top of his shovel towards Tonraq, who was standing only a few inches away from her.

Senna blushes terribly and tries to hide it by lowering her face down into her fur scarf. "No!" She glances over towards Tonraq for a second. Sure, he's handsome and he has been kind so far, but if people are going to begin thinking and suggesting that they should be together, she will have to begin avoiding him. "He's new. He's looking for a place to stay. Are there any open lots?"

"Well, honey, you're standing on one!" Anik opens his arms wide and smiles before he puts a serious expression on his face as he seems to glare over towards Tonraq. "This is a big lot, son, for an igloo right for a family. However, it is in the middle of the group, so I know you may not find the location very appealing, plus you're new, so I'll cut you some slack on the price, alright?"

Senna has to hold back a laugh at Tonraqs face. He looks as though he's just grabbed an adult electric arctic eel and got a good shock out of it. "Um... sure?"

"Alright! Great! A thousand silver pieces." Anik leans over close to Tonraq, using the pole of his shovel to balance him, waiting eagerly to hear his answer.

"Deal."

Anik stands up straight and gasps. "Really?"

"Yeah, I have it now, if you want it up front." Tonraq nonchalantly reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pouch of coins.

Anik seems just as shocked as Tonraq had been before, but he takes the payment and explains to them that for him to build a pre-designed igloo it would cost another fee, and for him to build a custom igloo would cost an even higher free, or they could leave the building up to themselves. Tonraq informs that he's built a few temporary igloos when he was in the North, so he was pretty confident that he would be able to handle it himself. They thank each other and end the deal with a Water Tribe handshake.

Senna informs Tonraq that she helped Anik before when she was younger, so she would be able to help him if he wanted her to. The two begin with the foundation, Tonraq waterbending the snow into hard, thick ice as he begins thinking up the layout of the house. They take an arctic camel to the city for wood and other supplies. Once they're back to the lot, they begin putting up the wooden support beams, then they lay down the flooring, then Tonraq shapes each ice brick and Senna pats the snow on top and between them before he bends them together, creating one solid wall that still has a snow brick pattern.

It's about two hours past dusk when the two are finally too tired to continue working.

Tonraq slumps down into the snow next to Senna. "I found work at a butcher's shop this morning."

"That's good."

"Yeah, I went out early on my own. I didn't want to wake you."

Senna turns towards him and smiles before she looks curious and tilts her head. "Where did you get all that money?"

Tonraq blinks and looks away from her. "You could, uh, say I come from a wealthy family."

"Oh." Senna pauses and then changes the subject, noticing the sad and distant expression on his face. "So are you going to go on the Hunt?"

She smiles at the sight of him lighting up at this question. "I think I'll go try to get to know some of my new neighbors and if any of them are going, then I'll ask if I can join them."

"That sounds good." Senna looks around, noticing just how just about everyone has disappeared into their homes. "It must be getting late. I need to go home." She stands and turns towards him. "Have a good night." She waves before she takes her leave.

"Good night."


	3. Chapter 3

It is early in the morning and Tonraq has just mounted his arctic camel when the group of men he is going hunting with approach him on their own camels. They all greet him and make sure he has everything he needs. Spears, knives, a bag for game as well as one for any extra supplies and a small medical kit.

They explain to him that now is the perfect time to hunt for the biggest game, but it is also the most dangerous time, as well as the most profitable. The animals have just finished their mating season and hormone levels are still high, causing the males to be even more aggressive than usual. Due to winter being right around the corner, the polar bear dogs will also be hunting before the majority of them go into hibernation. Their fur will become thick, and they have packed on the pounds, putting far more meat on their bones. Fur is, of course, used for countless things in the arctic regions, but is also becoming a popular fashion statement for the winter around the rest of the world. The meat of one Polar Bear Dog brute could very well last half a year for yourself, even after you sell half of it to a butcher.

The men are well aware that Tonraq has only just moved in and built himself his own igloo, so they assure him that if they spot any game they know will be worth a lot, they'll be more than happy to have him take it for himself. He thanks the men, and then they all set out to the hunting grounds together.

The sound of the bells above the front door jingling catches Senna's attention and she looks up to see a group of young men making their way into the front room of the store.

"Good morning. How may I help you men?" She asks this with a smile as she brushes some stray strands of hair from her face.

"We're just here to pick up a few things, just in case, you know? Some gauze and quick acting pain killers." One of them informs her as he leans over the counter.

"Preparing for the Hunt?" She turns away from them only to collect the things they requested.

"Yes ma'am." Senna's thoughts go to Tonraq. He hadn't stopped by in the last couple of days, and he didn't even come by to tell her if he had found a group to go hunting with or not. For a second, her feelings are a bit hurt, but she shrugs the feeling off. It really isn't that big of a deal. He's a grown man with his own life and priorities. He will do as he pleases.

She neatly places the supplies into a small, easy to carry box, and slides over the counter towards the men. "Here you go. Good luck, stay safe!" She smiles and waves to them as they take their leave. She lets out a sigh. It's just going to be a normal, slow day for her.

Tonraq and his group have been hunting for quite some time now, nearly the whole day, and some men have already suggested that they begin to head back towards the village soon. The one who has taken the role of leader, an older man with gray whiskers in his beard, is obviously looking out for Tonraq because he lets the group know that they won't be going anywhere near the village until every man has a kill fit for a family of four. Only Tonraq and an even younger looking man haven't taken anything down yet, but Tonraq knows this statement is directed towards him due to the man constantly looking over his shoulder, checking up on him.

The Northerner is standing there, trying to figure out how he feels about the older man when one of the men points and shouts for the group to look in a certain direction. They all take their attention to a herd of yak that has just been startled by something. They look behind the herd and spot a pack of polar bear dogs right on the herds tail.

"Look at that boy," One of the men exclaim as he points out the biggest bear dog in the pack. "It must have been the brute of the litter. If he wasn't, then I don't want to ever meet his big brother." The man ducks down behind a pile of snow and looks towards Tonraq. "You want him?"

Tonraq looks from the man to the dog and examines him. He is very large, looks to be in his prime, and by the nasty scar on his left shoulder, has obviously survived an attack from a human before. The amount of meat brings countless delectable dishes that all feature bear dog meat to mind. Bear dog steak, stew, fried leg, jerky.

Tonraq runs his arm over his mouth, wiping away a bit of drool, before he nods and takes off to the side of the polar bear dogs. He get's down low, into a position to where he wouldn't be noticeable, but still able to spring up and run if he needs to. He waits until the dog is nearly just in front of him before he strikes.

From the snow, he waterbends a sharp stalagmite looking spike of ice, aimed to pierce the animal from the jaw and up into the brain, but he misses. Tonraq only has time to gasp before the animal is lunging towards him in a fit of rage.

Senna rests her chin onto her fist as she sits in the quite front room. It's getting late and she is already seeing hunting parties begin to return. To her surprise, there has only been one injury so far this Hunt. A man sliced his palm open as he took out his knife from its sleeve incorrectly. All he needed was pain killers, a few stitches, some wrapping, and some healing cream.

She was happy that no one had gotten seriously injured, but the Hunts are usually the busiest times of the year, giving small boots of income that insure that they can keep the business running. She glances over to a clock and notices that it's already half past closing time anyways, so she hops down from her stool and makes her way over to the door.

She quickly slides out of the door and closes it, making sure to not allow a lot of the cold to bust into the warm house. She reaches for the sign they have out front that has on one side 'open' and the other 'closed' when something catches her eye. She looks over and spots another hunting party making their way back into the village, but something doesn't seem right.

She notices that they aren't lugging their kills behind them on sleds. Instead, they're carrying someone. She pulls the door open with such a force she can hear some of the wood crack, but she doesn't care. She holds the door open wide for them and motions for them to hurry.

Senna doesn't even look to see who it is before she's yelling out orders. "The first room! Get towels from the closet in the hall and put pressure on any and all wounds!" She rushes over to the shelves behind the front counter and pulls out a few rolls of gauze, packets of needles and surgical suture, quick acting pain killers as well as sedatives.

Her mother is making her way down the stairs, asking what all the commotion is about as Senna is making her way into the first room where the men are. Sakari follows close behind her daughter and is stunned at the sight on the bed.

"Tonraq!" Senna gasps as her hands fly up to her mouth, the supplies crashing to the floor as she falls to her knees. It only takes a second for her to spring back up and press down hard onto his chest, where a few rows of deep cuts have made their mark. Her eyes dart all over him, trying to figure out which parts of him are actually bleeding or have just gotten blood on them from nearby wounds.

There are some things a few stitches can't fix, and she knows that immediately. "We need a waterbender." She says under her breath, somewhat to herself. "I'll go into the city!" She turns away from him and attempts to quickly make her way out of the door, but her coat must have gotten snagged on something because she nearly loses her balance by the force of the tug that sends her leaning back.

"No." Tonraq's voice is stern and solid, but Senna knows it's been forced to sound like that, and she also knows it takes a lot of energy to have that tone when you're in the sort of condition Tonraq is currently in. "Senna," This time his voice is light and weak as he calls for her. His fingers are what had caught her coat, and his hand falls from just above her elbow to her own hand. "Stay here."

Senna sits down by his side and takes his hand in hers. "Okay," She says softly as she examines his face. He's already getting too pale for her liking. "I'll stay."


	4. Chapter 4

Sakari can't help but allow a small smile to tug at the corners of her lips, but she turns her expression to stone as she looks down towards one of the men. "You," She points towards him. "Go into the city and find a healer. Run." The man nods and springs into action. "And you," She pointed authoritatively to another man. "cut off his furs, then wrap all the wounds tightly as soon as they are exposed."

Senna's mother continues to give out orders like a drill Sargent and the men act quickly, doing everything she asks as soon as she asks it. Sakari can't ignore the look of urgency and worry on Senna's face, but she has no time to address it or say anything about it at the moment. It's hard for her not to point it out, but she makes herself busy by cleaning the wounds and stitching them up as soon as she can. As she does this she listens in on the conversation Tonraq and Senna are having.

"What happened?" Senna asks softly, as if she's asking a small child why he's crying.

Tonraq attempts to move his hands as he speaks, but one of his hunting partners immediately pins his free hand down, knowing Tonraq will need every last bit of energy he can get. Tonraq doesn't seem to notice as he continues speaking.

"This big, beautiful polar bear dog," His words are far apart and barely audible, but Senna presses him to keep on speaking. She has to keep him awake somehow.

She listens intently and nods and asks questions to keep him going. He tells her about how he was only inches away from the polar bear dogs jaw, only a couple of inches away from avoiding the attack all together.

As soon as the male spotted him, it pounced and attacked. It pushed him down deep into the snow, knocking the air from his lungs and stunning him. He reacted as soon as he could by flinging ice darts into it's chest, piercing him in multiple places but obviously missing it's heart. The polar bear dog had caught his arm in it's mouth as he sent the darts his way, which explains the puncture wounds and broken bones in that arm she had noticed earlier.

The gashes on Tonraqs chest are from the bear dog digging into him. This could have easily been the death of him and he knew that. He acted quickly and packed snow down into his wounds with his free arm. If it hadn't been for his men sprinting over to him and using the last of their spears and knives on the beast, it would have torn his other arm right off if it had done that terrible shake of the head all dogs are known to do.

Tonraq manages a smile and he looks towards everyone around him, letting them all know how thankful he is for each of them.

It's not long until the man Sakari had sent off returns with a healer by his side. The waterbender gets to work and heals the wounds the best he can.

The waterbending healer explains to them that the wounds will heal fast and well, thanks to how quickly they all acted, but they will still need a couple more sessions to ensure fast recovery without infection.

Sakari keeps Tonraq for one more session until they return to his own home, where his final healing sessions will be held and he will continue recovery on his own.

A few days past and Sakari has noticed that Senna has said nothing about Tonraq wanting her to stay with him, and she still hasn't gone to check up on him. Sakari finds Senna in her usual spot, up on the stool behind the counter, a cup of tea that had once been steaming set in front of her.

"Senna, dear, is there anything you would like to talk about?" Sakari asks this softly as she takes a seat across from her daughter.

Senna looks up at her mother from her cup for a few seconds before she returns her gaze to the bronze liquid that has cooled quite a while ago. "No."

"Are you sure? You don't want to talk about Tonraq? I saw how he reached for you. I saw how you held his hand-"

"Mother. I have nothing I want to talk about."

Sakari lets out an exhausted sigh and drops her face down into her palms. "Why don't you ever talk to me anymore?" Senna can hear her mother's muffled words, but she continues to ignore them. "Why do you always push me away? Why do you push everyone away?" The woman who looks older than she actually is solemnly looks towards her daughter, who also looks a few years older than her actual age. The two women look at each other.

Sakari has got crows feet from squinting at different types of wounds and rashes for so long, lines on her forehead from having her eyebrows furrowed far too often, smile lines that now might as well be from the frown she wears now. She has long hair that has been pulled back at the sides and braided. Countless strands of gray shimmer through from behind the brown hair that still covers the majority of her skull. Her eyes have dulled long ago.

Senna looks exhausted. Her hair is pulled to the front at each side, covering her shoulders. While each lock has been tied with long ribbons in a decorative criss-cross, stray strands still stick out here and there, making it look as though she had styled her hair in a hurry, which she probably had. She has dark circles under her eyes and her eye lids are heavy. Her eyes don't have much spark left at all. Sakari's heart drops at the thought of that little last bit disappearing forever. She knows that day will be soon if something doesn't change.

"I know things have been different since we lost your father and your siblings, but-"

"Mother."

"No!" Sakari stands up and places her palms firmly down onto the table, startling Senna good enough to get her to look up towards her mother. "Listen to me! For once, just listen to me! I know you don't like the way I've turned out, the way my life has turned out and I know that you don't want to end up like me, but that doesn't mean that you have to push me out of your life completely!" Sakari quickly raises an arm to wipe away the tears that are beginning to fall from her eyes.

"I know that you're scared of ending up alone, but if you keep on pushing everyone away from you, that's how you're going to be! I know what you went through was traumatic, I went through it too! I was there! You may have lost your father and your brother and sister, but I lost my husband, the love of my life and my babies!"

"I get that you're scared that the same thing is going to happen to you one day, too. I know that's why you stay so distant and don't let anyone get close to you. But I've already lost two children, I'm not trying to lose another! Senna, you are all I have left and I want the best for you! I want you to find a man who will adore you the way your father adored me. I want you to know that absolute unconditional love. I know you haven't known that young man for very long, but love doesn't work on a schedule. It happens when it happens! And it's happening for you right now! As long as you don't ignore it and push it away like you do everything and everyone else! I pressure you so much and I know I make it seem like I just want you to get married and have babies so I can be a grandmother, but that's not just it. There is nothing better than the feeling of loving something more than you love yourself." Sakari pauses and gently cups her daughters face into her hands.

"The way you love your children is like no other love out there. I want you to know that. I want you to know that feeling. I want that for you. I want that pure bliss for you. You can have that if you go and get it!" Senna expects her mother to continue on her rant after the pause, but she doesn't. She only says one last thing after seeing her daughter stay still. "Or don't."

Sakari drops her hands and sighs, giving her daughter a sorrowful look before she turns and makes her way up the stairs. Senna drops her gaze from where her mother once was back to the tea that still sits in front of her.

It's late, almost too late, and Senna is hesitant to knock on the door, but she does it anyways. It takes a little longer for someone to come to the door, but it's understandable, given the only resident's condition.

Senna gives Tonraq a sweet smile as soon as he opens the door. "Hello." She greets.

"Good evening, Senna." He smiles back down at her as he opens the door wider, allowing her to enter his warm home.

"I came to check up on you." She turns to face him.

"Thank you... I, uh, was beginning to think that I wasn't going to see you for a while." He admits this somewhat shyly as he raises a hand to rest it on the back of his neck. "But, I'm doing fine. Thank you."

"Oh, that's good." They both smile at each other and a silence rises between the two for a few good seconds before Senna figures that she might as well leave now, her confidence diminishing quickly.

Tonraq reaches for her and catches her just above her elbow. "Wait." She stops and looks back towards him. "I should probably tell you something." She turns to face him once again and listens closely. "I may have grown up in a big house, filled with extravagant and expensive things. With maids and butlers and servants, galas and parties held for no apparent reason, acres of unneeded land. But, I'm a simple man." He pauses and swallows hard as he examines the expression on her face.

The candles emit a beautiful glow onto her dark skin, and her blue eyes are just shining through the shadows of his dim-lit front room. Her smile doesn't seem forced as it usually does, it's small but still sweet, just like she is. There's something about her that's different and he can't quite put his finger on it, but something tells him whatever it is, it's good.

"I just simply want you." Senna's smile widens and she comes closer to him. Close enough to rest her cheek on his chest as he slowly wraps his arms around her, still unsure of her feeling towards him.

"Tonraq," She says softly. So softly that he has to lean down a bit to make sure he hears what she is about to say. "I'm simple, too."

* * *

Years go by and the couple have had a small, simple wedding ceremony and now call the igloo they made together home. Tonraq works a simple job at the butchers and Senna is a happy housewife. They have recently been blessed with a beautiful baby girl, but it's not long until they discover something very extraordinary about their daughter, Korra, and they know that their life won't be so simple anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay so I know this may be a _smidge bit_ late BUT I would just like to thank everyone who read this short story and left a review and returned and added to watch lists and favorites. Thank you. This is actually a story I have been wanting to do for about two months now and I finally decided to just do it.

I would also like to give a **great thanks** to Sokkasm here on for being a great beta reader :D** Thank you so much!**

I also wanted to elaborate on a few things just for the heckie of it I mean why not everyone likes behind the scenes right?

**Name Meanings:**

**Arrluk:** Killer Whale. Neurological meanings: helper, stability. Arrluk was Sakari's main helper with just about everything that had to do with the healing hut due to Senna's crippling depression that caused her to become very distant.

**Miki: **Little. Miki was the little old man who ran the medical supply building in the city. When Senna and her siblings were younger, their mother often took them with her to go get the supplies from him.

**Anik**: Seer. No real connection between the meaning of his name and his character, I just liked the name. He fancies Sakari, if you didn't notice, but he's really too shy to do anything about it.

**Sakari: **Sweet. The meaning of her name really had to do a lot with character. She is a very sweet person, but she is inspirational, relentless, and optimistic. She and her husband had met young but fell deeply in love. Her husband absolutely adored her and their children.

**Backstory:**

When Senna was younger, an epidemic swept through their village as well as a few neighboring ones and claimed many lives, including her father's and her brother and sisters. Sakari didn't have much time to grief because she had to deal with ill who were still alive, as well other injures that happened. Senna, however, spiraled into a deep depression and became very distant and pushed everyone away. She developed a sort of dislike towards her mother and wanted to end up being nothing like her. Senna had a terrible fear of losing everyone she loved and being alone because everyone was torn from her, so she pushed everyone away and refused to form bonds in order to protect herself from every feeling that sort of pain again.

The reason I chose for Senna to have such a back story is because of her canon character design. Both her and Tonraq look fairly young, but Senna looks tired and a bit disheveled. Her voice sounds a bit exhausted as well. I feel like she's been through some stuff and has seen some things.

I also made her a non-bender because throughout the series we never see her bend, though she has plenty of opportunities to do so (ex. when Korra is being attacked by dark spirits after Naga howled at them. I know Tonraq is the one that acts because of the whole brother rivalry, but Korra is both Tonraqs and Sennas daughter and I feel like they both would have aided her with bending if they both had the ability to do so).

I know now that in part of the finale, when Tonraq is hurt, Korra tells Asami to take him to her mother and Katara at the healing huts, but Senna isn't seen doing any kind of waterbending healing. She is in the healing huts with Katara, but I personally feel like healing with waterbending abilities would be very physically tasking, so if people can be healed or lulled with herbs and remedies, that's what the healers go to first. Senna is just a herbalist, as her mother before her. For me, Senna is a non-bender until I see her bending in the actual series or if we are told she's a bender by one of the creators. (If someone on the actual team has stated that Senna is a bender, I obviously missed it lol)

I was going to do a short add-on on how Tonraq and Senna react to Korra adopting a Polar Dog puppy but I've pretty much decided not to. Naga in Inuit means 'no', so I'm sure when it came to keeping her, Korra had been told 'no' plenty of times before she finally got the okay to keep her puppy dog.

So yeah, I guess that's it. Thank you all again :D


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